The view from Longview Point. Photo: Friends of Willow Springs Park Facebook
On Tuesday, City Council unanimously passed the Willow Springs Park Master Plan, which outlines the complete revitalization of a property that when completed will be the largest city park built west of Redondo Ave. The adoption of the master plan comes just two months after first four acres of the park opened in November, including access to Longview Point, the highest publically accessible point in the city.
When completed, this 47-acre park will be home to many different features, all centered around a theme of low-maintenance, passive activity for parkgoers. From dog parks to wetland restoration, these features are a far cry from another plan City Council passed for the space, then referred to as California Gardens, in 2006.
That plan called for extensive changes to the landscape to accommodate several baseball fields, a skate park, soccer fields and a 615-space parking lot. Estimates for were nearly $60 million dollars. The new plan will cost “a mere fraction of that” according to Michael Clements, Chief of Staff for 7th District Councilmember James Johnson, who has spearheaded the new Willow Springs project. By not grading—which is essentially leveling the mountainous terrain—and instead taking advantage of the topography, Clements says that the new master plan drastically reduces the estimated budget of the previous ideas.
“We will be meeting with Parks and Rec next week for estimates,” said Johnson. “The first four acres are open, and it only cost us a few hundred thousand dollars—much cheaper than we expected.”
The minimal development costs will only continue as Willow Springs’ master plan goes into effect. Drought resistant plants and the re-using of existing resources (such as the city tree trimming and mulching service) have all been factored in to make the park as cost-efficient as possible. Designed to be low maintenance, the lack of need for continual upkeep will reduce costs in the future as well.
“We don’t have a lot of money to mow lawns, water lawns and maintain that kind of landscaping,” Johnson said. “What we said was, ‘Let’s look at this land and work with how it speaks to us.’”
All of these factors brought about a positive Environmental Impact Report for the current park plan. Due to the new direction of the park plan, there will be little to no impact on the environment. Every category of the EIR is classified as having “No Impact,” or “Less than Significant Impact,” which would not have been possible if land-leveling or unsustainable plants were involved.
Now that the master plan is approved, Johnson will need to secure funding to make the park a reality. With City funding for new parks at a stand-still, he hopes to capitalize on the fact that Willow Springs Park sits on a wetland.
As one of the city’s earliest water sources, the underground springs (from which the park gets its name) continue to flow through the site, a fact that Johnson says will help open up the availability of government grants, similar to how the Bolsa Chica Wetlands were re-built using federal grants.
“I’m very confident that we can get some of those similar funds,” says Johnson.
Though the massive Willow Springs will take many years to see completion, it can—and has already begun to be—completed in stages. Not every one of the 47 acres has to be funded immediately. Instead, each phase can be compartmentalized based on how much money will be available at any given time.
To add onto the benefits (and grant-getting), Willow Springs Park will also aim to help clean up the environment at the same time. Bioswales, which are landscape elements designed to remove pollution from runoff, will be featured at the park.
“This entire site, we have water that drains from 405 freeway that drains to our parks, then drains to the beaches. And that’s not filtered in anyway whatsoever. So by having this park with the bioswales, we’re going to clean up not just this site but also the L.A. River,” Johnson said.
Environmentally friendly, fiscally responsible and now planned to accomodate a multitude of uses, Willow Springs Park is finally beginning on a journey into turning one of Long Beach’s oldest properties into the largest park development since 1952. And with the first four acres already open, there’s no reason to not stop by for a look of what is, and what it can be.
“I would invite and encourage residents throughout the city to go and see that treasure,” said 8th District Councilmember Al Austin. “There are great views and great serenity in that area.”
Willow Springs Park is located at 2745 Orange Ave.
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Willow Springs Park Master Plan Summary Report by